Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding

This Magnolia Bakery Copycat Banana Pudding is made up of layers of creamy vanilla pudding, bananas, and Nilla Wafers . It’s the famous New York City’s Magnolia bakery recipe! There is a reason why it’s so famous; it’s seriously so good!

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

Convenience : As much as I want to go to New York every time I crave this dessert, it’s just out of the budget. With this recipe, I can have it whenever I want.
Flavor : There is a reason this is so famous! The combination of bananas and cream, the smooth texture of the pudding, and the slight crunch of the wafers are unbeatable.

Ingredients Needed for Copycat Magnolia Banana Pudding

The star of this dish is the bananas! We always have them hanging around but often they become over ripe before we get around to eating them. Instead of throwing them out, we like to make Sour Cream Blueberry Banana Bread or banana cream cookies. For exact measurements for each ingredient, scroll to the bottom of the post.

Sweetened Condensed Milk : Adds the most decadent sweetness,
Ice Cold Water : Helps make the pudding.
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix : The perfect complement to bananas!
Heavy Whipping Cream : Balances the flavors in this yummy dessert and tops it off perfectly!
Bananas : The star of the dessert that provides banana flavor and sweetness.
Nilla Wafers : Gives the dessert a lovely crunch and warm vanilla flavor.

Areal view of banana pudding in glass cups. - 2

How to make Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding?

Mix : Make the vanilla pudding by mixing the box of powdered gelatin with the ice water and sweetened condensed milk. This can be done by hand with a whisk or by using an electric mixer. Once the pudding is smooth and thoroughly mixed, cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whip Cream : Whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the cream into the pudding until there are no more white streaks.
Make : Assemble the pudding in a large bowl, trifle bowl, baking pan, or individual dishes. Layer the ingredients by first adding vanilla Wafers, followed by sliced ripe bananas, and then the pudding mixture. Repeat layers until you reach the top of your dish(es).
Chill : Cover with plastic wrap and place dessert in the fridge for 4-8 hours . Top with the additional bananas and Nilla wafers, and serve.

There are four process shots of making the recipe. The first shows the pudding and whipped cream being mixed. The second shows the individual cups being filled with cookies, bananas, and pudding. The third shows the layered individual cups. The fourth shows someone scooping the pudding mixture on top of all the layers. - 3

Can I make Banana Pudding in advance?

Yes! You need to make it in advance . The actual pudding part of this dessert needs time to thicken in the fridge, so it is best to begin this dessert a night or two before you plan to serve it or in the morning at the latest if you are serving it at night. While this particular step needs to be done in advance, the assembly of the dessert should only be done 4-8 hours in advance.

Close-up shot of individual cup with a spoon in it and bites taken out of the cookies. - 4

How to Prevent Bananas From Turning Brown

How to prevent bananas from turning brown : Dip or brush the sliced bananas with any acidic fruit juice. This will result in a change in the flavor, which is not good in some dishes. Where this is the case, use water (it won’t work as well, but it will slow the browning). Non-tonic club soda can also be used and won’t affect the taste.
Why do Bananas Brown ? It is the oxidation of the fruit that causes it to turn brown. You can slow the oxidation by limiting the oxygen or air. For this recipe, seal the bananas off from the air by completely covering them in the pudding. If you plan to serve bananas on top of the pudding, wait to add those until just before eating.

Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding in small glass cups. - 5

How long does Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding Last?

Once the pudding is in with the Nilla Wafers, it’s best to eat withing 4-8 hours. You can definitely eat it right after, but to get that perfect texture of the cakey Nilla Wafers, it’s best to wait 4 hours so the pudding can soften them.
After 8 hours, the bananas really start to turn brown, and the Nilla Wafers will get even softer and become more of a soggy texture than a cake like texture.

More Banana Desserts To Try

Desserts

Banana Cream Pie

5 hours 10 minutes

Desserts

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

45 minutes

Desserts

Banana Pudding Cheesecake

8 hours 15 minutes

Recipe Skill Levels

Banana Bread Bars

35 minutes

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Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
▢ 1 ½ cups ice cold water
▢ 1 (3.4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
▢ 3 cups heavy whipping cream
▢ 4 cups sliced bananas
▢ 1 (12-ounce) box Nilla Wafer cookies

Instructions

Add 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer while slowly streaming in 1 ½ cups ice cold water . Add 1 (3.4-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix and beat until fully combined. Cover the pudding and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to thicken and set up.
Beat 3 cups heavy whipping cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pudding until there are no streaks of white remaining.
Assemble the pudding in either a large bowl, trifle dish, baking pan, or individual dishes. Layer the ingredients by first adding a layer of Nilla Wafers from the 1 (12-ounce) box Nilla Wafer cookies , followed by sliced bananas from 4 cups sliced bananas , and then the pudding mixture. Repeat these layers until you reach the top of your dish(es).
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place the assembled dessert in the fridge for 4-8 hours. Top with additional bananas and Nilla wafers if desired and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info